A moving, behind the scenes photo at Star Wars Celebration of Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and the late Carrie Fisher’s daughter, Billie Lourd, is stirring up fans’ emotions as it makes the rounds online. While fans of the film saga have been excited for months leading up this weekend’s Celebration – which among other things, reunited Hamill, Ford and Star Wars creator George Lucas – the anticipation has been accompanied by underpinnings of sadness, due to the tragic passing of Fisher from a heart attack last December.

And while there were tributes to the late Princess Leia actress penned by the likes of Hamill in the days after Fisher’s passing, the Star Wars 40th Anniversary Celebration panel really marked the first time key members of the Star Wars family addressed her loss in public.

Among the many photos from Star Wars Celebration that have now surfaced, there’s one that’s particularly attracted a lot of attention (see the image below, posted to Hamill’s Twitter account): a backstage photo of Hamill and Ford as the lovingly lean in toward Lourd, who is between them. Their subtle smiles suggest happiness in that they’re celebrating Fisher’s legacy with the screen great’s daughter; but also heartbreak in that it marks the closest thing to a reunion with Fisher that Hamill and Ford will ever have.

So much like her mother in so many ways- it was almost as if we were cuddling our Princess again! #BillieLourd #DejaVuAllOverAgain #SWCO pic.twitter.com/Rhb1siaYbj— Mark Hamill (@HamillHimself) April 14, 2017

Lourd was among those celebrating her mother’s legacy at the 40th Anniversary panel Thursday, saying, “My mom used to always say she didn’t know where Princess Leia ended, and where Carrie Fisher began.” Lourd also introduced a video tribute to her mother, which included a brief, first glimpse of Fisher as General Leia – along with writer/director Rian Johnson – on the set of The Last Jedi.

Friday promises to be another emotional day at Star Wars Celebration, as The Last Jedi panel is expected to unveil details about the film and debut the long-awaited first trailer. It’s quite likely that the new footage will include more looks at Fisher as General Leia, serving as a reminder to fans just how precious time really is.

Fortunately, Fisher completed filming on The Last Jedi before her untimely passing, and Disney has reassured fans that the The Last Jedi will not be altered in any way when it debuts in December. And while Johnson – who co-wrote the Episode IX script for director Colin Trevorrow – will have address how Leia will appear in the film (Fisher’s brother, Todd, says footage of the actress may be part of Episode IX), fans for the time can take comfort in seeing Fisher for the first time Friday in her full, Last Jedi glory.

Source: Mark Hamill

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